


Refresh

by ChocolateSyrup



Category: Detective Pikachu - Fandom, POKEMON Detective Pikachu (2019)
Genre: Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-01-23 04:49:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21314455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocolateSyrup/pseuds/ChocolateSyrup
Summary: Tim doesn't know how or why, but he suddenly has a second chance to get on that train.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 159





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just an idea I had floating around that most likely will never become a real story, but I thought would make a perfect one shot :)

Mewtwo is his first thought. He's considered the most powerful Pokémon in the world, right? Why _wouldn't_ he be capable of time travel?

The real question is, why would the psychic _want_ to send him back in time ten years prior? Tim thinks...or at least _thought_ that he and his father have been getting along well since he was separated from his Pikachu. That would be the reason he'd been sent back in time, wouldn't it?

To make things right with his father? ...But things were okay between them, or again, at least Tim _thought_ things had been fine between the both of them. Maybe Mewtwo thought otherwise and had sent him back in time to have another chance with his dad. But if that was true, why didn't Mewtwo just do that in the first place instead of merging his father with his Pikachu partner?

Time travel...it shouldn't even be possible, yet here he is back in his _original_ childhood room. If that isn't enough, then maybe it's the fact that he's somehow back in his ten year old body. That part probably freaks him out more than the unexpected time travel itself. He can't bring himself to look in the mirror again. He's wearing the exact same clothes that he had the day he left to get on the train (but never _did.)_

Besides Mewtwo, Tim isn't sure what other Pokémon would be capable of traveling through time, or sending a _human_ of all things back in time along with it. His knowledge of Pokémon only extends to what he remembers from—ironically—his childhood. He stares back at the Pikachu ears that his father had rebuilt in the room he'd planned for Tim to use in his apartment. These are the _original_ Pikachu ears and the original battle posters all around the walls of his room, and he has to stop himself from breaking out into hyperventilation right then and there.

"Are you ready to go?" his grandma's voice jolts him out of his thoughts. He turns his head quickly to look at her, quickly enough to make her assume that something is wrong.

"Is everything alright?" she questions, and he nods just as quick.

"Yeah. I'm fine," he tells her in the most honest voice that he can muster. His voice...it sounds so much _younger._ His grandma...she looks younger, too. In the back of his mind, he wonders if this means his mother is...but no. She _can't_ be alive. If his grandma is asking if he's ready to go, that must mean if he's ready to get on the train, and he knows all too well that at this point his mother is already gone and has been for a while now.

This is crazy. It's all crazy, he has to be dreaming! But when he closes his eyes and pinches himself, he opens them again to find that he's still stuck in his ten year old body as he stares down at his hands.

He follows his grandma out of the house and into the driveway with his bags that she puts in the trunk, reluctantly getting in the passenger seat next to her. The sense of déjà vu is almost overwhelming, and he can clearly remember already having second thoughts about living with his dad at this point in the car as they make their way to the train station.

Now however, he thinks that maybe somehow, his father would be able to help him if he explains his situation without sounding too crazy. Harry _is _a detective after all, maybe he'd be able to find a way to send him back to his original time in the future. Maybe his father even remembers the future himself like he seems to, but somehow, Tim doubts that.

"Your father is going to be so happy to see you after all this time," his grandma says, and he flinches slightly. He had never taken into account how his father felt before deciding to crush his hopes and dreams about his son coming to live with him. Now that he knows what he does about future-Harry, guilt is much too palpable. His father had just gotten a handle on his grief over his wife's death, but Tim had other ideas. If his father hadn't wanted him after his mother died, why would he want him _now?_

_Time..._her choice of words is almost ironic._  
_

But now, Tim understands that everyone deals with situations differently. His father had chosen to shut everyone out, _especially_ his own son. Their phone calls to each other had even gotten less and less frequent until they stopped altogether. Tim had chosen not to get on the train as a way to maybe get back at Harry for going to Ryme City and leaving him behind, a decision that he now regrets.

"He's really excited. He has your room all ready for you," his grandma's voice echoes, and his guilt intensifies. His father really _had_ been excited to see him after leaving when his mother passed, if the way he'd been excited to see him after being separated from his Pikachu said anything. His Pikachu...Tim stiffens slightly in his seat as the thought comes rushing forward.

...What about his future (temporary, he has to remind himself regretfully) partner, _Detective_ Pikachu? If he does this, maybe Harry will never get into the car crash if he warns him about Howard. His father's Pikachu wouldn't have to beg for his life, and Mewtwo wouldn't have to transfer his consciousness into Pikachu's body. Detective Pikachu would never come into existence, and Tim isn't sure he would be able to live with that. He'd have to solve the R mystery with his father as a human if Harry would even allow him to get involved, but Tim figures the case would be a cinch to solve with everything that he knows that could also serve as undeniable proof he's from the future.

What about _Harry's_ Pikachu? If he decides differently about getting on the train, will it affect his father's partner in any way? Harry hadn't had a Pikachu before he left to Ryme City but when Tim first arrived, Lieutenant Yoshida had mentioned his father's Pikachu being in the crash with him and also presumed dead, a Pokémon partner that Tim had been completely unaware of. Will his arrival to Ryme City in _this_ year change that?

Tim isn't sure, but he hopes not. Harry and his Pikachu have a bond just as close to each other as he and Detective Pikachu had. Maybe it would also be possible for him to find a new partner now that he's more willing than he had been after his mother passed.

He gazes out the window at his quiet hometown life streaming by, trying his best to breathe slowly and calmly as he attempts to figure out this unexplained phenomenon and what he's going to do about it—_how_ he's going to do it. Will he still meet Lucy if Harry never crashes in the car? She wouldn't have a reason to barge into the apartment building and wait for him at the top of the stairs, because Harry would never supposedly 'die.' He inwardly laughs to himself, though; it's _Lucy._ If anything, she'll _find_ a reason to get on top of the stairs again. Or maybe he'll even meet her earlier...

The car jerks him out of his deep thinking as it stops. Wait...they're at the train station already?

All too soon, he finds himself standing with his grandma while they wait for the train he's supposed to get on—the train that Tim isn't even sure he still _wants_ to get on. How much will change if he does, and would it be for the better or worse? Tim _likes_ to think for the better, especially now that he knows what he does about his father. He hadn't meant to hurt Tim all these years ago but his son _did _mean to hurt his father,and now Tim unexpectedly has another chance to make things right.

Tim doesn't know how or why, but he finds that maybe he shouldn't be concerned with any of those things. He and his father can both start over, start _fresh_ with a clean slate and avoid the awkwardness that had come with being reunited after ten long years. Maybe he could even find a better job than insurance in the city, or suggest working as a detective later on. He almost grins to himself at how excited Harry would be to hear _that_, but stops himself as another thought occurs to him. He would have to go to school all over again, but maybe that part won't be as bad in a new school in Ryme City. He'll have to grow up all over again, but he'll be with his dad and Harry will without a doubt support him through it all.

"Say hi to your father for me," his grandma says as the train finally arrives. "Be sure to bring him to come visit every once in a while."

Tim smiles, and it's actually genuine. His worries are slowly starting to fade away as she reaches out to pull him into a bone-crushing hug just as strong as his father's. He can worry about future events as they draw nearer.

"I will." He's not sure how long it will take before he gets used to just how _young_ his voice sounds again.

He moves as if in slow motion towards the train when she releases him from her hold and she waves, her grandson waving back. Tim discovers with a bit of surprise that he's not as hesitant to get on as he was in the past (or should it be considered the _future_ now? Tim saves himself a headache and doesn't think about that.)

Their broken relationship had been slowly on the mend, but now he has a chance to go back to the very _beginning_—to fix what had been broken.

Before everything began to fall apart after his mother's death. Tim isn't sure if this time travel opportunity is permanent—if at one point, he'll just suddenly disappear and end up back in his own time again. _No one_ is completely sure; Tim is positive that he's the first ever time traveler for whatever unknown reason, but he finds that he's grateful for another chance with his father however long or short it might last. But that's just what it is—an _opportunity_ that he should take.

To regain all the years that they'd lost by avoiding one another—or Tim avoiding his own father, he corrects.

Not anymore.

Now would have been when he'd turned back to his grandma, begging her to take him back home, but Tim continues moving towards the train.

_I should've gotten on that train,_ he remembers telling Detective Pikachu with all his heart.

Now he _can._

He imagines his father waiting on the other side with a big smile as he arrives in Ryme City for technically his first time.

He takes a deep breath and gets on the train.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This still isn't going to be a multi-chapter story; I just got another idea and it was too adorable to ignore, so...here it is. This was also partly inspired by the new Birth of Pikachu episode!
> 
> Merry early Christmas, I guess? :)

His first Christmas with his father since he had somehow been sent to the past. He had been looking forward to spending his first holiday with Harry after he was separated from Pikachu in the future, but Tim supposes that this is just as good. The apartment is bright with red and green Christmas lights, and a tree is settled comfortably in the middle of the room that they had both set up and decorated together.

Tim feels like a little kid again on Christmas morning as he wakes his dad up to open presents.

Arceus, he _is_ a kid again, even though he's still not sure how. But his new life with his father has been alright. He made his amends and had gotten on the train this time, and he's positive it was the right choice.

Still, something has been feeling like it's missing.

A third presence in the apartment that he had grown so used to before traveling back in time.

"Wait. One more," Harry says after Tim finishes opening his presents. "I'll be right back."

He returns not a minute later, carrying a medium-sized present with red wrapping paper around it.

"Had to take very good care of this one," Harry says, setting the present with care onto the floor.

It's only now that Tim notices holes are punched into the box.

The present wiggles, and he's now sure that something _alive_ is in there.

Before he knows it, a little yellow blur tumbles out, rolling on the floor until it's sitting up and staring right at him.

Tim has to stop himself from doing a double take so his father doesn't notice.

Pichu. It's a tiny, fluffy Pichu.

But even though he's a Pichu, his brown eyes are strikingly familiar. It doesn't take Tim long to put two and two together.

He's overjoyed at first to see his father's partner again. Finally, another familiar face even though he's in his baby form—Tim was starting to get worried that maybe he _did_ affect Harry's Pikachu by deciding to get on the train. But then another realization comes over him.

"You...don't like him?" Harry asks, attempting not to sound too disappointed, but Tim can read his face perfectly clear. "I thought that since you missed getting a partner that day, I could find one for you—"

The day his mother died. The day he was supposed to get a Pokémon partner.

"It's not that!" he says, maybe a little too quickly.

_I don't want him, _Tim corrects in his head, growing anxiety nearly getting the better of him as he thinks of what this means for his father.

_I can't have him,_ he continues to think frantically. _He's not mine. He's _**_yours._**

Pikachu can't be _his_ Pokémon. He belongs to his father. If the younger version of Pikachu doesn't bond as closely or with Harry at all, there's a chance he won't be there or maybe even refuse to offer his body if Harry gets into the car wreck again, and then maybe Harry won't make it out alive if Mewtwo doesn't have any other way to save him in the crash.

Tim finally manages to come up with an excuse, and he hopes that he doesn't sound as nervous as he feels. He can't mess this up. Not this. It's too important—his father's _life_ depends on this little Pokémon.

But he doesn't want to mess up Christmas, either. Things have been going so well between them, and Tim would hate to ruin that again.

"It's just...I wasn't expecting him to be so adorable."

To emphasize, he brings Pichu close to his chest and gives the tiny Pokémon a light squeeze.

"All Pichu are pretty adorable," Harry agrees when the runt tries to reach his paws up towards Tim's chin with a wide smile. Lucy crosses Tim's mind at the similar quote to hers when she'd said all Pokémon are cute, but he focuses on the situation at hand. He still hasn't met her yet and probably won't for a while.

"I know Pikachu is your favorite Pokémon and that's what I set your bed up to be, but Pichu—"

"Evolves into Pikachu through high friendship levels," Tim finishes for him. "I know, Dad."

"We're both going to have to be very careful where we step and sit, now," Harry says, and Tim nods.

He can't believe just how _tiny_ the Pichu is.

"Pichu!" the baby squeaks, and Tim forces a smile of his own, though maybe not as forced as he thinks.

It's pretty tough to _not_ smile around a Pichu.

The pathetic thing is so small he can fit right in the palm of his hand, but Tim places him back down on the floor. Thankfully, he gets distracted by a red ribbon to play with.

Pichu follows him around the rest of the night before bed. Tim does his best to be obscure about it, but he refuses to let the Pichu get too close, hoping that he'll start taking an interest in Harry, instead. But with the way Pichu sticks to him like glue, it's a near impossible feat.

At one point, Tim takes notice of the way Harry looks at the two of them.

_Maybe I should take Pichu back,_ Harry's face reads like a Loudred. Tim doesn't know where Harry had found or adopted Pichu from, but that's not an option. Reluctantly, he allows Pichu a little closer to him which turns out to be a bad idea.

Sparks fly out of red cheeks as Harry reaches forward to pat him on the head, only to have to jerk his hand back quickly in response to being shocked.

"Sorry," Tim apologizes, preventing Pichu from attempting to zap his father again.

"Don't worry," Harry insists. Luckily, Pichu's electricity isn't that strong yet. "He's just protective of you."

Tim sighs to himself. _He should be protective of **you.**_

The three of them watch an old, black and white Christmas movie together. It's late now, and Harry has fallen asleep on the couch next to his son.

Tim attempts to place Pichu onto Harry's lap, but the miniscule electric mouse won't have any of it. No matter how many times Tim tries, Pichu always ends up back in his own lap, and he gives up when sparks fly out of Pichu's cheeks again.

He doesn't want Pichu to end up _hating_ Harry because of being forced to be near him, so Tim sighs and finally lets Pichu climb into his lap. The yellow Pokémon circles once, twice, three times before he finally yawns and settles down, eyes droopy.

Harry wakes, glancing down at the two of them.

"You fell asleep," Tim lets him know, glancing at the TV. The movie just finished.

"It is getting late," Harry says quietly, turning it off.

"Yeah. We'll go to bed now," Tim agrees, taking care not to disturb Pichu. "Goodnight, Dad. Merry Christmas," Tim whispers as he wraps his arms around Harry in a hug, Pichu chirping before he can be squished between them. "Thank you. I love him," he makes sure his dad knows so there's no chance he'll send Pichu back to wherever he came from.

"Merry Christmas, kid," Harry says fondly in return. He's so glad to have his son here with him when he originally thought he'd be alone again.

xxxx

Pichu's ears perk up in excitement towards the _other_ ears in his childhood room.

"You're not supposed to be mine," Tim gets out harshly in a whisper as he tries to get comfortable in his Pikachu bed. It's a difficult task when Pichu keeps getting in the way, risking himself being squashed by Tim trying to lie down. "Go away."

It breaks his heart as he gives Pichu a shove to push him backwards nearly off the bed. He makes sure to be as gentle as possible, but the poor little thing still squeals in surprise and wobbles at the edge, just barely managing to keep his balance until he plops back on the bed in a sitting position.

The Pichu's eyes start watering, and Tim is sure he's never felt _this_ terrible in the entire twenty one years of his life. Or, more accurately, his entire _ten_ years of life.

That's not actually true. If Harry had gotten Pichu as a Christmas present for him in this time, that must mean he had done the same in the alternate future, the only difference being that Tim never arrived in Ryme City. Pichu became Harry's partner instead, but the little mouse had always been meant for him even if it wasn't as a Christmas present in the timeline when he had chosen not to get on the train.

Sighing, Tim reaches out and wraps a hand gently around the Pichu in a miniature version of a hug.

"I guess...you can be my partner," he whispers.

Pichu's eyes light up, his tears disappearing.

"But only on one condition. You have to _promise_ to go with my dad that night if I can't convince him that Howard is responsible for R."

"Pi?" Pichu tilts his head to the side and blinks, obviously very confused. "Pichu?"

Tim laughs quietly. He doesn't know how much cute his heart can take. "Don't worry. We have plenty of time to figure things out."

Still a few more years, but he of all people should know how fast time can fly by, like waiting until the day before a project deadline to get it done.

He's certain that even if he accepts Pichu as his own partner now, if Pichu doesn't become _Harry's_ partner, he'll still save Harry in the crash if it ends up happening again—if Pichu knows how important his dad is to him. He'll still offer his body to save Harry's life, and Detective Pikachu will come into existence once again. Or maybe he won't even have to; Mewtwo had explained in the flashback-reveal that he needed Tim in order to repair Harry's body. Now that he's here with his dad, no reunion is probably required. But better safe than sorry...

His breath hitches as the tiny baby mouse moves towards the middle of his chest, making himself comfortable by curling into a ball so he'll be nice and warm, but his little body shakes. Tim reaches an arm up, cupping Pichu with a hand so he won't be too cold. The little one's shivering slowly subsides.

Tim's heart lightens as realization washes over him.

_My partner. I have a partner now._ _We were always meant to be partners..._

He has to stop himself from getting too choked up, but a tear or two manages to escape down his cheek and onto Pichu's fur. Maybe he can finally live out his dream of becoming a Pokémon trainer, but the thought is instantly shoved aside. If he leaves on his own journey with Pichu, they wouldn't be able to save Harry in the crash after he evolves into Pikachu. The whole point of being sent back to the past to spend time with his father and regain lost years would be wasted.

He has his very own partner that he's been yearning for since Harry returned to normal in his original time, and that's enough for him. The best Christmas present he's ever received.

Tim doesn't notice a bright, shining light that surrounds Pichu after they both fall into a deep sleep.

Harry comes into the room a little later to check on his son and the new addition. He's more than surprised to find a newly-evolved Pikachu resting on his son's chest, baffled by how quickly the two had become friends and that it was already a friendship strong enough to help Pichu evolve.

Like they already knew one another somehow...

And to think he had been debating whether or not to send Pichu back, though he's positive he never would have been able to go through with it. Maybe in time, baby Pichu would have warmed up to him, becoming his partner instead. Harry shakes his head with a small smile, moving towards the bed. Carefully, he brings the sheets over Tim and Pikachu's still and peaceful forms; it looks like they'll have another surprise in the morning.

Both Pokémon and partner smile to themselves in their sleep, and Harry can feel it deep down in his jellies.

Maybe the two were always meant for each other.

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